8.05.2011

Blogger's Favorites -- Ashley Helvey

Ashley Helvey'sblog is one of my absolute favorite spots on the Internet... It is beautiful, calm and soulful -- sort of the visual antithesis of the busyness-obsessed culture that's so rampant. But what inspires me most is how Ashley manages to elevate everyday moments into poetry. When viewed through her lens, a simple mid-day meal or a scrap of fabric is transformed into an "art moment".

Her list (which I'm thrilled she's agreed to share with us) is made-up of the things that have her, in her words, "Under the Influence" of late -- the items informing and influencing her work as an artist.

And her picks have especially resonated with me, as they're a perfect end-of-week antidote to what has been an otherwise harried past seven days... My personal favorite is her reminiscing of the lemon water with honey that her mother made for her before bed each night. Really just lovely in every possible way.

So without further ado, herewith Ashley's influences...Enjoy and have a splendid weekend!

Clips: One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is visit the local Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya to flip through their home magazines. I find they contain extremely useful tips that are usually conveyed through a single, beautiful image like this idea for using cute clips to keep your coffee bag sealed.

Low Tech: I noticed a covered printer in Matt Dick's studio years ago and it stuck with me ever since. Covering electronics with cloth makes makes the room seem more soft and inviting.

Frosty Glasses: My boyfriend's mother keeps a freezer full of glasses and I love how fancy it feels. Whenever I have a friend over I can offer them a chilled cup of white wine or Pellegrino.

Fabric Shower Curtain: My boyfriend's grandparents have this fabric shower curtain in their guesthouse that I just love. We got a simple window curtain from Ikea and it's the easiest thing to keep clean- just wash it!

Fruit Nets: The net bags fruit come in are perfect for straining seeds. I use one every night to squeeze lemon juice into our salads. I am not sure where I picked this up...

Furoshiki: I learned this from my dear friend Molly DeVries, who has inspired me in endless ways. She wraps everything in fabric- from her children's lunches to dirty laundry. She is now selling her collection online and at farmers markets in the Bay Area.

Poached Egg Dishcloth: My boyfriend once saw a cook in a restaurant use a dishcloth to strain a poached egg and now he does it. The dishcloth is great for absorbing the water and something about it feels so comforting. It reminds me of a loaf dumpling my Omi makes called serviettenknödel, which is a flourless dumpling boiled in a dishcloth then sliced.

Vase of Herbs: I noticed this in a friend's house and couldn't believe I'd never thought to do it. I always have just kept my herbs in the fridge, but this allows them to keep longer and makes a wonderful smelling bouquet!

Lemon Water: My mom always made this before bed for me: squeezed lemon and local honey. Perfect night cap.

Foraged Flowers: I picked this up from Louesa Roebuck, an incredibly talented artist and tastemaker. Her car is always filled with trimmings from around the neighborhood, completely local and seasonal- a great way to be in touch with your surroundings!

To-Go Jars: My friend Suzanne Stephan brought jarred sangria to our 4th of July party because we were walking to see the fireworks and I have been jarring my to-go drinks since!